Photo Credit: Ed Rode
I find it hard to believe that July is coming to an end. Suddenly the month is almost over when it feels like it has only just begun. The clue came when my son headed off to watch the new Spider-Man movie and I suddenly remembered saying I would review the new Bywater Call album, released around the same time. So, with my trusted headphones, laptop and a Shaken Udder Vanilla Milkshake to hand, I am diving in for a listen.
Band Bio
Often transcending genres, Bywater Call is known for its dynamic, emotional live shows, featuring powerful vocals and exciting interplay between all seven members. The Toronto-based Southern soul and roots rock outfit comprises Meghan Parnell (vocals), Dave Barnes (guitar), Bruce McCarthy (drums), Mike Meusel (bass), newest member Andrew Moljgun (keys), Stephen Dyte (trumpet), and Julian Nalli (tenor sax).
Bywater Call was nominated for the 2025 UK Blues Award for International Blues Artist of the Year for the second consecutive year, alongside artists including Beth Hart and Walter Trout. The band has also received multiple Independent Blues and Canadian Maple Blues Award nominations, including Entertainer, Electric Act, and Best Female Vocalist during the 2024 awards season.
In March, Bywater Call played their second Joe Bonamassa Keeping the Blues Alive Cruise, featuring headliners Big Head Todd and the Monsters and Larkin Poe. In 2025, they also appeared at the Netherlands’ BOSPOP Festival alongside The Black Keys, Warren Haynes Band, Marcus King and Blackberry Smoke.
Phote credit Denis Carpentier
My Review
The album is released on 29 July 2026 and is available on physical formats and all major streaming platforms.
When we last spoke to Meghan Parnell in 2023, she told us (full interview link here):
“The album is a keepsake, a collector’s album. There is still a place for physical ownership, and there are those who know how important merchandise is to a band. We want that product for them.”
“Hold Me Down” opens proceedings with surprising funk and a bluesy edge. The arrangement is relatively stripped back, supported by rich harmonies and even a touch of Gospel influence. It feels mature and confident, creating the perfect soundtrack for an intimate evening with someone special.
“Is This Thing On?” immediately transported me back to my time in Madrid and Segovia; those warm evenings when children played in the streets, families gathered outside and moths circled beneath the streetlights. It’s a story-driven piece, simply told: “If we can’t hold it together, will we ever get out of here?” A beautifully crafted song with strong folk leanings.
“No-One Else” arrives cloaked in atmosphere, carried by a commanding vocal performance from Meghan Parnell. Musically it took me towards those Prohibition-era Chicago clubs of the 1920s. I could easily imagine this accompanying a smoky movie scene. Every track so far has held my attention.
“Only” offers a gentler contrast. A strong drum pattern provides the heartbeat while the layered backing vocals create beautiful harmonies throughout. It has an easy conversational quality that allows it to drift effortlessly through the middle of the album.
“Way To Go” begins in understated fashion before bursting into a bold, energetic number that feels tailor-made for a festival crowd. There’s plenty of boogie, an infectious chorus and a celebration of life’s long road that is impossible not to enjoy.
“So Far” sits at the midpoint of the album and immediately gets the foot tapping. Even sitting down, it’s difficult to stay still during this one. There’s a relaxed Southern grit running throughout, while the interplay between lead and backing vocals is once again outstanding. At just 2:49, it’s also one of the album’s shortest offerings.
“Clutter” returns to a more folk-inspired sound, telling the story of a girl and what might have been; the longing to be the one your love truly wanted. Filled with lyrical metaphors and warm country guitar, it’s a song for campfires and quiet smiles beneath the stars.
“Sally” is something of an outlier. It carries a distinct seventies flavour that had me wondering where I’d left my flared trousers. Sally isn’t answering the door when we ring the bell—perhaps she doesn’t realise we’re on her side. It’s an enjoyable listen, although I didn’t connect with it quite as strongly as some of the earlier tracks.
“How Long?” is another effortlessly cool, laid-back number. Lyrically it asks how much the heart can endure: “How long before I push you away?” Despite exploring emotional emptiness, there’s considerable strength in its delivery. This feels like a perfect soundtrack for a warm summer evening in the garden as the world quietly rolls by.
“Ain’t No Friend of Mine” is the album’s full-blooded rocker. Driven by the drums and packed with live energy, it races along with an infectious sing-along chorus that audiences are going to love.
“Yardsale” closes the album on a slower, more reflective note. Personally, I found myself wondering whether “Ain’t No Friend of Mine” might have made an even stronger finale, but that’s a sequencing preference rather than a criticism of the song itself.
Bywater Call never feel constrained by one particular style, allowing blues, soul, roots, folk and rock to weave naturally together. Throughout it all, Meghan Parnell’s outstanding vocal performance provides the thread that ties everything together.
This isn’t an album chasing radio trends or streaming algorithms. It’s a record made by musicians who clearly trust their songs, trust each other and trust their audience. Bywater Call continue to prove why they have become one of the most respected live acts on today’s blues and roots scene, and this release only strengthens that reputation.
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Stream music from Bywater Call here
Band website here
The Band are coming to the UK in 2027 (Poster below).
Ticket links on the band website.
By Anna-Louise Burgess
Join Rock the Joint Magazine on the road to the best independent music journalism, interviews and reviews. We cover Rock, Country, Jazz, Blues and Christian music. Support us on Ko-Fi (link on each page) to help the magazine grow and value independent journalism.
